World Class Wrestling Association February 20, 1988

by

Taped from Dallas, TX

Airdate: February 20, 1988 (taped 02/12)

Attendance: 3,800

Hosted by Marc Lowrance & Terry Taylor

Who makes his WCCW return? Can Kerry and Kevin succeed in a Badstreet match against the Freebirds? Plus, Embry! Steve Simpson! And look who’s joining Lowrance this week!

Opening montage.

Match 1: Brian Adias versus Solomon Grundy

Highlights:

  • Adias ambushed Grundy before the bell and brought him into the ring the hard way.
  • When he clotheslined Grundy, Adias landed a fist drop and mauled him with a ten-punch count-along.
  • He landed a knee drop and got 2.
  • As Adias gave him a pair of cross corner whips, Grundy sandwiched him in the opposite corner.
  • He splashed and pinned Adias at 1:34.
  • UPSET CITY!

Rating: *

Summary: To my own amazement, Grundy used his weight against Adias and benefited greatly.

Match 2: Steve Simpson versus Bob Owen

Highlights:

  • For those unaware, Owen had been enhancement talent throughout the territories yet mostly in Mid-South.
  • Steve leapfrogged and steamrolled Owen.
  • As Taylor pleaded with “Gentleman” Chris Adams to appear, he wanted to call a truce.
  • Owen slammed out of an arm bar but missed an elbow drop.
  • When the Dallas faithful chanted “go, Steve, go,” Lowrance plugged their appearance on PRIME TV out in California. I loved how Lowrance referred to Dallas as “the Southwest” when Southern California is both south and west of it.
  • Owen gave Steve a cross corner whip, dealt him an elbow smash, and sent him reeling down to the floor.
  • After Steve grabbed his foot, he crotched Owen with the ring post.
  • At that point, Owen’s Friday night plans were unquestionably scrapped.
  • Steve gave Owen a cross corner whip and followed with a monkey flip.
  • He unloaded a knee lift, mounted the top turnbuckle, and launched a cross body block.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Steve won at 4:55.

Rating: *

Summary: Showcase match for Steve as Owen’s career begins to fade away.

Fresh off his stint in WCW, Michael P.S. Hayes plugs a rock concert on March 4 at the Sportatorium. According to Hayes, the Von Erich-Freebird feud “has been run in the ground too long.”

Before Hayes can utter another word, Buddy Roberts jumps into the ring and embraces him. “Iceman” King Parsons shakes hands with Hayes while Roberts runs down the Von Erichs. On the other hand, Hayes informs him about his singing career and doesn’t want to be involved. When he mentions Parsons, he trusts both Gordy’s and Roberts’ judgment. However, he believes that the Angel of Death is “a no-good son of a bitch.”

He tells Roberts that he won’t work with them due to Angel of Death, but they’ll always be “brothers.” After Hayes leaves, Gordy summons him back to the ring. Wary, Hayes returns, yet Gordy offers him support. Something’s not quite right here.

Match 3 (non-title): WCWA Light Heavyweight champion Eric Embry versus Jeff Raitz

Highlights:

  • Raitz hooked a sunset flip and got 2.
  • When he trapped Embry with a backslide, Raitz got another 2.
  • He powerslammed Embry but couldn’t get 3.
  • As Embry rebounded with a back elbow, Raitz won a battle over an abdominal stretch.
  • Embry hip-tossed him to escape, but Raitz leapfrogged him.
  • After Raitz scored with a cross body block, he got 2.
  • He reversed a cross corner whip resulting in an Embry sternum-first bump.
  • While he backdropped Embry, Raitz dropkicked him for 2.
  • Embry rebounded with a knee to the midsection but missed a diving head butt.
  • Reversing an Irish whip, Embry fell victim to another sunset flip, and Raitz earned a 2-count.
  • Raitz secured an inside cradle for another 2.
  • Attempting yet another sunset flip, Raitz got schooled by a backslide.
  • 1-2-3.
  • Embry won at 6:30.

Rating: ***

Summary: Raitz learned quite a bit from watching Shaun wrestle against Embry but couldn’t capitalize.

Match 4 (Badstreet/non-title): WCWA World tag team champions Kerry & Kevin Von Erich versus Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy & Buddy “Jack” Roberts

Highlights:

  • Kerry and Gordy brawled like they owed each other money.
  • As Kerry scored with a pair of discus punches, Gordy fell like a sequoia. Timber!
  • Gordy hooked a bear hug and converted to a belly-to-belly suplex for 2.
  • When Roberts tagged in, Kerry whipped him with his belt.
  • Kerry annihilated Roberts with a belt-assisted right and tagged in Kevin.
  • After Kevin mounted the top turnbuckle, he lowered the boom onto Roberts.
  • He blasted Gordy, and all four wrestlers were in the ring.
  • While Kerry landed a discus punch to Roberts, Gordy launched Kevin over the top rope to the floor.
  • Gordy suplexed Kevin on the floor, but Kerry wanted to return the favor.
  • Joining everyone on the floor, Roberts hammered Kevin with his boot.
  • Kerry tried to whip him, but Gordy brandished a chair and CREAMED him with it.
  • Slamming Roberts on the floor, Kevin hauled him back into the ring.
  • Kevin attempted an Iron claw, but Roberts blocked it by going WAY DOWNTOWN. Poor Pam.
  • Tagging in, Gordy guillotined him with the top rope, but Kevin pounded him with his boot.
  • Kerry tossed brass knux to Kevin who obliterated Gordy with it.
  • Trying another Iron claw, Kevin got blocked by Gordy.
  • Kevin applied an Iron claw to Gordy’s midsection, and Kerry prevented a save by Roberts.
  • Thanks to a successful save by Roberts, Gordy piledrove Kevin and cackled like he won a trip to Vegas.
  • He unleashed a belly-to-back suplex to Kevin and attempted another piledriver.
  • Countering with a back drop, Kevin made the HOT TAG.
  • Kerry piledrove Gordy and Roberts consecutively, and all four wrestlers were in the ring again.
  • Making his presence felt, “Iceman” King Parsons approached ringside with his cane.
  • The Von Erichs double-clotheslined Gordy with a belt, and Adams came to ringside wielding a chair to even the odds.
  • Rolling into the ring, Adams and Parsons brawled like there’s no tomorrow.
  • Thanks, Apollo.
  • The bell rang, and referee Rick Hazzard threw the match out at 10:11.

Rating: ****

Summary: Extremely frenetic main event with tons of violence and moves not normally seen on TV. As you’d expect, the Dallas faithful ate every bit of this up with a spoon.

After the match, the melee continues as Lowrance signs off. Kerry mounts the second turnbuckle and unloads a fist to Gordy. When Kevin traps Roberts in an Iron claw, Adams escapes Parsons’ clutches and pounds on him. Angel of Death arrives, pulls Kevin out of the ring, and handcuffs Kevin to the bottom turnbuckle. With help from Angel of Death, Parsons blasted Adams with the cane. Referee Rick Hazzard unlocks Kevin who chases the Freebirds away by swinging wildly with his boot.

Conclusion: After last week’s programming mishap, WCCW comes through in the clutch with a home run of an episode.

While the war between the Von Erichs and Freebirds is far from over, another chapter has taken place with an interesting twist. Is Hayes truly not going to work alongside the Freebirds?

Next week, Perez defends the World title against none other than…Terry Taylor! That’s quite the wake-up call!

TV Rating: NONE

Stay tuned for WCCW 02-27-88!

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